Page 50 of Dark Tidings on the Thames
Niall saluted him as hoots of laughter rang out, but the lighter continued on and he turned and struck out for shore.
*
Kara woke laterthan usual. She was surprised she hadn’t rousedwhen Niall left, but he had meant to leave before dawn, and she must have been deeply asleep. Yawning, she dragged herself out of bed and rang for her maid.
“Miss Winther and Miss Williams waited for you to go down for breakfast,” Elsie told her.
“Oh goodness, then we had better move quickly,” Kara said with a laugh. “You know how Gyda gets if she doesn’t eat in the morning.”
The speed at which Elsie fetched her gown was answer enough. It wasn’t long before Kara was heading downstairs.
“Thank goodness,” Gyda called from the parlor. “I’m starving!”
“Apologies! I must have been more tired than I thought,” Kara said. “And now I’m hungry, too. Has Harold eaten?” She knew Rob had meant to head into Town early as well, with his hired coach.
“Long since. He and Stayme are in the library, where Harold is attending his lessons and the viscount his correspondence.”
“Good.” Kara took Beth’s arm. “Then it will be just us ladies, and we can have a nice talk.”
“Yes, please,” Gyda said as they entered the dining room, where footmen were bringing hot trays of food to the sideboard. “Beth wants to head straight home after breakfast, but I was debating the wisdom of having her stay on here.” She waited until the footmen finished and left the room before raising her brow at Kara. “You know, due to the situation with…” She mouthed the last word—Rob.
Kara considered as she chose salty bacon, paused, then added a bit more to her plate. “You know I would normally encourage you to stay, given any excuse at all, Beth, just for the pleasure of your company,” she told the girl. “But in this case, I do wonder…”
“What?” Gyda asked. Then she stopped and blinked. “Odin’s arse. Yes. I think you might be right.” She looked at Beth. “Men do like the chase. And Rob is not just a man—he’s aHighlander.”
Beth flushed as she took her plate of eggs and toast to the table. “Please. You mustn’t think—I don’t know—I don’t expect—”
Kara set her plate down at the next seat and laid a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Do not be shy about it, Beth. Not with us. You know we wish only the best for you.” She paused, struck by a thought. “Unless we have it all wrong and you are not interested in Rob at all, or perhaps not any longer?”
“No!” Beth said, growing even more scarlet. “I do. I mean, I am interested. It’s just… he’s so…” She sighed. “Why would he be interested inme?”
“Oh, he’sinterested,” Gyda said knowingly. “I saw him sneaking peeks at you all evening long.”
“Of course he’s interested,” Kara said. “Look at you. Gorgeous, pale skin, lovely blue eyes, and with that fair hair? You are the perfect English blossom. But more than that, you are thoughtful, kind, and courageous.”
Beth’s hands lay in her lap, with her gaze fastened upon them. “No.” She shook her head. “I’m not courageous. Not like Gyda.” She glanced over at Kara. “Not like you.”
“Horsefeathers,” Kara declared.
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Gyda said at the same time. She shook a finger from across the table. “You forget. I know the situation you escaped from when your parents died. I know how brave you were, standing up to your sodding family, claiming what was yours, leaving all that you knew to start again in London.”
“That’s not the same,” Beth objected. “You and Kara, youfight. You stand up to villains. You defend yourselves and others, too.”
“Just as you do, Beth,” Kara said. “You fight against poverty. You help those in need.” She shot the girl a frank look. “We’ve spent time at your charity. We’ve spoken to the other volunteers.”
“We know you do more than distribute clothes,” Gyda said, setting down her fork.
“Beth, we’ve heard what the other volunteers know of you. You see the humanity in the people you are working with. You are notlooking down, you are standing at their side. You give of yourself—and what is braver than that?”
“Quiet courage is still courage,” Gyda declared.
Beth blinked back tears. Kara gave her a moment while she took several bites of toast, then pointed the end of it at the girl. “Rob McRae is not a stupid man. I am sure he admires your pretty face, but I know he is surely more enamored of your big heart.”
Beth drew a long breath. “I hope you are right.”
“She is,” Gyda said. “But Rob is still a man. He’s bound to act like a fool and make a mess of your courtship, at least once. By Freya’s cats, Niall did take forever and blunder about, but he finally got there with Kara. You are going to have to be patient, but hopefully not as patient as our duchess here.”
Kara laughed. “She has a point. There is an art to it all, and honestly, I don’t think it will hurt your case at all for Rob to come back here tonight to find you gone and busy with your own occupations.”
